Method of and apparatus for signaling in high speed telegraph systems



Mgrch 29, 1932. R. F. DlRKEs METHOD `OF AND APPARATUS FOR SIGALNG INHIGH SPEED TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS Patented Mar. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ROBERT F. DIRKES, OF JAMAICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTERNUNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORKMETHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING IN HIGH SPEED TELEGRAPH SYSTEMSApplication led May 20, 1930. Serial No. 454,131.

My invention relates to apparatus for and methods of signaling'and moreparticularly to high speed telegraph systems.

As is well known to those versed in the art, high speed telegraphsystems and receivers have been developed to such a point that they arecapable of operation at a greater speed than the transmitting operatorcan prepare a message for transmission. As a result, the sendingoperator cannot completely avail himself of the high speed at which thecircuit may operate, that is, one operator cannot make use of all theline time available. However, when traflic is very heavy, it isparticularly important that the signaling circuit be used at its maximumetiiciency.

Accordingly an object of my invention is to provide a novel method ofand means for.-

using all of the line time of a signaling circuit available and atmaximum efficiency.

I have discovered that in the case of high speed telegraph systems,maximum efficiency of the signaling circuit may be obtained by providingtwo or more transmitters for each circuit, each transmitter beingsupplied with tapeprepared by an individual operator s0 that when thecode combinations of impulses stored up on one tape by one of theoperators has been transmitted over the circuit, the cir. cuit may beswitched to transmit stored up code combinations of impulse conditionsstored up on another tape by another operator.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means for switchinga signaling circuit from one to another transmitter.

Still a further object of my invention'is to provide novel means wherebyan operator may control the switching of a signaling circuit from histransmitter to another4 transmitter.

In the simplex operation of printers, a distributor and a printer areemployed. The printer is brought to a rest or idle position by thetransmission of a steady current of marking polarity and is started intooperation by the transmission of one pulse of spacing polarity calledthe start pulse.

A further object of my invention is to rovide for the transmission of asteady mar ing impulse when it is desired to idle the receiving simplexprinter without stopping the rotating members at the transmittingstation.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means fortransmitting a stop or idle impulse while maintaining the transmittingdistributor in rotation.

Heretofore an overlap in transmitters has been provided by employing twochains of relays, one of which is energized in accordance with theoperation of the transmitting contacts to in turn transfer its settingto the l second set of relays. While the second set of relays controlsthe transmission of the codel ti on while the transmitter isnonoperative and the transmitter is thereafter rendered operative.

According to a preferred embodiment of my invention I provide electricalswitching means for switching the distributor element at the transmitterstation from one transmitting element to another similar element, eachof which is operated by an individual operator.' Thus, two or moreoperators transmit through the same distributing ele-V ment and therebyactuate the same circuit media of the same telegraph receiver, but insuccession. The amount of time that each operator applies fortransmitting through the circuit media may be readily governed by theoperator himself. Thus, the switchover operation may be performedmanually by an operator when practically all of the message which he hasstored up has been transmitted, or it may be performedautomaticallyiafter the transmission of a predetermined number ofmessages.

In the simplex circuit of recent developments, operating high speedtickers have been developed to a point where they will operate to print500 to 600 characters per minute. It becomes obvious that no oneoperator could transmit that many characters in a. minute and that itwould take at least two operators or more to make maximum use ofthesignaling line time.

The various features and objects of the invention will be more fullyunderstood upon reference to the following detail description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, while the scope of theinvention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, the figure shown is the circuit diagram of the circuitand apparatus employed in a preferred embodiment of my invention.

A plurality of transmitters 1 and 2 are shown diagrammatically. Althoughtape transmitters are shown, storage transmitters may be employed ifdesired. The transmitters land 2 are provided with spacing bus bars 3and 4, respectively, connected in parallel to a conductor 5 and markingbus bars 6 .and 7, respectively, connected in parallel to a conductor 8.The transmitters 1 and 2 are also provided with a set of tongues 9 and10, respectively. The tongues. such as 9, of the transmitter 1, areoperable in engagement with the bus bars 3 and 6 in various combinationsin accordance with the perforations of the tape (not shown) of thetransmitter in a manner well known to those versed in the art. Steppingmagnets 11 and 12 are provided, one for each of the transmitters forstepping the tape Afollowing the transmission of each code combinationof impulse conditions.

The tongues 9, of the transmitteril, are connected over individualconductors 13 to 18, inclusive. to individual contact segments 19 ofswitching devices 21 to 26 which form part of a seven level automatictelephone switch as used vin ordinary automatic telephony. Similarly,the tongues 10 of the transmitter 2 are connected over individualconductors 27 to 32. inclusive, to individual contact segments 33 of theswitching devices 21 to 26. Each of the switching devices 21 to 26 isprovided with a solid ring 35 and a brush 36 which is adapted to bridgethe solid ring 35 either with a contact segment 19 or a contact segment33.

The brushes 36 are fixed to a common shaft which is arranged to beoperated step by step by a pawl and ratchet mechanism. This mechanismcomprises a ratchet wheel 38 mounted on the common shaft and havingteeth 39 engaged by a pawl 40. The pawl 40 is pivoted on an armature 41which is normally held in retracted position by means of a spring 42. Anelectromagnet 43, which controls the armature 41, is grounded overconductor 44 and has its opposite terminal connected to conductor 45.

The tape-stepping magnets 11. andy 12 are each connected to ground atone terminal thereof and at the opposite terminal are connected overconductors 47 and 48, respectively, to individual contact segments 49and 50 of aswitcliing device 51. The switching device 51 is providedwith a solid ring 52 and a brush fixed to the shaft which carries thebrushes 36.

The brushes 36 are so positioned on their common shaft that they are, atany given time, all in engagement with their respective contact segments19, or all'in engagement with their respective contact segments 33. Thebrush 53 is so positioned on the shaft that it is in engagement with asegment 49 when the brushes 36 are in engagement with their respectivesegments 19 and it is in engagement with a. segment 5() when the brushes36 are in engagement with their respective segments 33. As will appearmore clearly hereinafter, when the brushes 36 are on their respectivesegments 19, the transmitter 1 is associated with the main transmittingline whereas when the brushes 36 are on their respective segments 33,the transmitter 2 is associated with the main transmitting line.

The solid rings 35 of the distributors 21 to 26 are connected overindividual conductors 55 to individual polar relays 56 to 61 cach ofwhich in turn controls an individual armature 62. The relays 56 to 61are of the type generally known as Potts relays. The right hand contactof each of relays 57 to 60 is'connected to the armature of the nextsucceeding relay. The left hand contact of relay 56 is connected to thearmature of the next succeeding relay 57.

The contact of relay 61 in turn is connected to conductor 45 forcontrolling the energization of magnet 43 in a manner to be described inmore detail hereinafter. The energizing circuit of the magnet 43 iscontrolled in accordance with a predetermined code combination ofimpulses vtransmitted through the switching devices 21 to 26 andfunctions. as will be described hereinafter, to rotat` the brushes 36for disassociating the operating transmitter from the system and forassociating the next transmitter with the system.

The solid rings 35 of switching devices 21 to 26, in addition to theconductors 55. are provided with conductors to 70 which extend toindividual polar relays 71 to 76.

respectively. These relays are also of the "o type generally known asPotts relays. The code combinations of impulse conditions stored in thetransmitters are transmitted through the switching devices 21 to 26 andover the conductors to 70 to variably opertion of the distributor brush103.

ate the relays 71 to 76, as will be described in detail hereinafter. Therelays 71 to 76 are provided with individual armatures 77 to 82,respectively, which operate between right and left hand contacts. Theright hand contacts of these armatures 77 to 82 are connected inmultiple and over the conductor 83 and resistance 34 to the negativeside of battery. The left hand contacts are connected in multiple overconductor 85 to the armature 86 of a lVheatstone polar relay 87.Armature 86 is operable between its left and right hand contactsconnected to negative and positive bat.- teries, respectively, overresistances 88. The armature is controlled by two windings 91 and 92.The Winding 92 is connected in multiple with the resistance 93 and isconnected at one terminal to the marking buses 6 and 7 of transmitters 1and 2 over conductor 8 and its other terminal is connected overconductor 94 to the second segment on a distributor designated localdistributor No. 2.

` The winding 92 functions to control the transmission of the startimpulse under control of local distributor No. 2-in a manner to bedescribed hereinafter. The Winding 91 has one terminal connected toground and its other terminal connected over conductor 95 to the firstsegment on a distributor designated local distributor No. 1 andcooperates with winding 92 for controlling the transmission of thenecessary synchronizing impulse. The solid ring 96 of local distributorNo. 2 is connected to the negative side of battery and is successivelybridged with the segments of the segmented ring 97 lby the brush 98 asit rotates.

The solid ring 101 of local distributor No. 1 is connected to positivebattery and is bridged with the segments of the seglnented ring 102 bvthe brush 103 as it rotates. As explained above, the first segment ofthe segmented ring 102 is connected over conductor 95 to the Winding 91ofthe VVheatstone polar relay 87. Segment 2 of ring 102in turn isconnected over conductor 5 to the spacing bus bars 3 and 4 oftransmitters 1 and 2. Segments 3, 4 and 5 of ring 102 are connected inmultipli` over1conductor 105 to the solid ring 52 of switching device 51for controlling the energizing circuits to the tape stepping magnets 11and 12 periodically once for each revolu- Segment 6 of the segmentedring 102 is connected over conductor 106 to the armature 62 of relay 56.When relays 56 to Glare energized in accordance with a predeterminedcode combination, the armature 62 of relay 56 is in engagement with itsleft hand Contact and the armatures 62 of relays 57 to 61 are inengagement with their right hand contacts. As a result, an energizingcircuit is completed for the stepping magnet 43 to operate switchingdevices f for. dlsassociating the transmitter then in operation andassociate another transmitter for operation.

In addition to the two local distributors N o. 1 and No.2, a thirddistributor designated sending distributor, is provided, comprising asolid ring 108 connected to the signaling line L over which the codecombinations of impulse conditions are to be transmitted andsuccessively bridged with the segments of the segmented ring 109'by abrush 110. It will be understood that the brushes 98, 103 and 110 aremounted upon a single shaft and rotate in unison. The brush 110 as itWipes over the rest segment R of the segmented ring 109, which isconnected to negative battery over a resistance 112, impressesthe'normal stop current on the signaling line L. The nextor startingsegment S is connected over conductor 85 to the left hand contacts ofarmatures 77 to 82 and in multiple to the armature 86 of the VVheatstonerelay 87 for the purpose of transmitting a stop or negative impulse overthe signaling line L even while the distributor brush 110 is inrotation, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The segments 1 to 6 on the segmented ring 109 are connected overindividual conductors 115 to 120 to the armatures 77 to 82 of thetransmitting relays 71 to 76 for transmitting code combinations ofimpulse conditions over the signaling line L in accordance with thesetting of-the transmitting relays, as will now be described inconnection with the operation of this system.

Operation lVith the brushes 36 of the automatic switches 21 to 26 inengagement with their respective contact segments 33, as shown, circuitsfor relays 56 to 61 and relays 71 to 76 are completed over the brushes36 and conductors 27 to 32 to the tongues 10 of the transmitter 2.Accordingly the transmitter 2 now controls the selective energization ofrelays 56 to 61 and relays 71 to 7G in accordance with the positionsassumed by the tongues 10.

It will be assumed for the' purpose of illustration that the selectionfor the letter Y has been set up on the transmitter 2. The tongues 1, 3and 5 have been moved to engage the marking bus bar and the tongues S, 2and 4 have been moved to engage the spacing bus bar.

The distributor brushes 98, 103 and 110 are rotating continuously asexplained above. When, therefore, the brush 98 in its rotation, engagessegment 2 on the ring 97, a circuit is completed for the right handwinding 92 of the Vheatstone polar relay 87, the circuit extendingfromnegative battery over the solid ring 96 of local distributor No. 2,

brush 98, segment 2 of ring 97, conductor ing bus bars 6 and 7 of boththe transmitters 1 and 2. Inasmuch as tongues 1, 3 and 5 of transmitter2 are resting on the marking bus bar 7, negative battery is extendedover these tongues and over conductors 28, 30 and 32 through the brushes360i switches 22, 24 and 26 to relays 57, 59 and 61 and in multiple overthe conductors 66, 68 and 70 to relays 72, 74 and 76. `Wheatstone polarrelay 87 is energized and moves its armature 86 into engagementwith itsright hand contact. Re lays 57, 59, 61, 72, 74 and 76 are energized tomove their armatures into engagement with their right hand contacts.Concurrently with this circuit, positive current iows over the solidring 101, brush 103, segment 2 of ring 102 and over conductor 5 to thespacing bus bars 3 and 4 of the transmitters 1 and 2. Inasmuch astongues S, 2 and 4 of the transmitter 2 are in engagement with thespacing bus bar 4, this positive current will be extended overconductors 27, 29 and 31 to the relays 56, 58 and 60 and in multiple torelays 71, 73 and 75. Relays 56, 58, 60, 71, 73 and 75 are energizedto'move their armatures into engagement with their left hand or spacingcontacts.

It willbe noted that the right-hand or marking contacts of the relays 71to 76 are connected to the negative side of batteryand that the lefthand or spacing contacts, through the operation ofthe 'Vheatstone polarrelay 87, are connected to positive battery. It will also be noted thatthe segment- S of the sending distributor is connected to positivebattery over the armature 86. As described above, the armatures 77 to 82are connected to individual segments 1 to 6 of the sending distributor.As the brush 110 wipes over the segment S a start impulse of positivepolarity is transmitted from positive battery over armature 86,conductor 85, start segments, brush 110, ring 108 and signaling line L.Thereafter, as the brush 110 wipes over each of the segments 1`to 6, thecode combination in accordance with the setting of armatures 77 to 82vWill be trans- 'mitted over the signaling line L.

YVh-en the brush 110 is wipingv over the start and first vsegn'rent ofthe sending distributor,` the brush 103 wipes over segments 3, 4 and 5of local distributor No. 1 estab.

lishing a` circuit from positive battery over solid ring 101, brush 103,conductor 105, ring 52 and segment 50 of the switch 51 and overconductor 48, through stepping magnet 12 to ground. The stepping magnet12 is energized and removes. the tongues of the tape (not shown) fromthe perforations therein and prepares to step the tape one step in'themanner well known in the art in connection -with perforated transmittingtapes. When the brush 103 moves from segment 5 to segment 6, the magnet12 is cleenergized and the tape is stepped to the next position whilethe feelers move into the sncceeding group of perforations in accordancewith the next code combination to be transmitted. This has no effect atthis time, however, due to the fact that the spacing and marking busbars 4 and 7 are not connected to battery at this time.

Attention is directed at this time to the novel arrangement of thetransmitter in which the tape feelers `are irst operated through theperforations in the tape and positive and negative polarity isthereafter applied to the marking and spacing bus bars once perrevolution of the distributor. This permits of a very simple overlapwithout the necessity of an extra bank of relays, ashas heretofore beenemployed in connection with an overlap at the transmitting station.

A further result of movement of brush 103 over segment 6 of localdistributor No. 1 is to impress positive battery upon the conductor 106.This is for the purpose of performing a switching operation to anothertape transmitter under certain conditions, as will be explained morefully hereinafter. In the present case, however, this has no effectinasmuch as the circuit over conductor 106 is broken at one of thearmatures 62.

As the brushes 98, 103 and 110 continue to rotate, the code combinationof impulses is transmitted now, as explained above, brushes 98 and 103having no eiiect during this portion of the cycle.

At the end of the cycle the brush 110 wipes over the segment-R andthereby transmits a resting or stop impulse of negative polarity overthe signaling line L to the receiving printer. At this time, brush 103is wiping over segment 1 o local distributor No. 1 and a circuit iscompleted over conductor 95 for the winding 91 of the Wheatstone polarrelay 87. As a result of the current iowingy through the winding 91,armature 86 is operated to en gage its left hand contact and negativecurrent is again impressed over conductor 85 to the start segment S.

As the brushes continue to rotate and brush 103 engages segment 2 oflocal distributor No. 1, positive battery is again impressed upon thespacing bus bars 3 and 4. At the same time negative current again iowsover brush 98 and segment 2 of local distributor No. 2 and overconductor 94 through the relay winding 92 and over the circuit describedabove. Relay 87 is again energized and operates the armature 86 toengage its right hand contact applying positive battery to the conductor85. It will be noted that this switching of the armature 86 occursbefore the brush 110 engages the segment S of the sending distributor sothat the negative current at'the left hand contact of armature 86 is notimpressed upon the signaling line L.

As is well known to those versed in the art of printing telegraphy, inthe simplex operation of printers it is the accepted method to rest oridle a printer by sending to it a steady current of marking polarity andto start a printer in operation by sending to it one pulse of spacingpolarity called the start pulse. The system herein explained to which myinvention is applied provides for such sending otl steady markingbattery when it is desired to idle the receiving simplex printers,without stopping the rotating distributing member.

Let it be assumed that neither transmitter 1 or 2 is in operation fortransmitting code combinations. yNone ot' the tongues of thetransmitters will be in engagement with the marking or spacing bus bars.Accordingly, when the brush 98 engages segment 2 of local distributor No. 2, no circuit will be completed for the Wheatstone polar relay 87 aswas the case when transmitter 2 was in operation. Inasmuch as relay 87is not energized, armature 86 will remain in engagement with its lefthand contact and consequently negative current will be applied to thestart segment S and also to segments 1 to 6 over the armatures 77 to 82,irrespective of which contact these armatures engage since both theright hand and lett hand contacts are now connected to negative battery.Accordingly, a stop impulse is impressed over the signaling line L tomaintain the remote receiving printer in a stop condition While thedistributor at the transmitting station continues to rotate and thetransmitters thereat are not in operating condition.

During the continued rotation of Ithe distributor brushes 98, 103 and110, the above described cycle of operation is repeated, that is, irstthe energization of relay Winding 91 and thereafter the energization ofrelay winding 92 to extend positive battery over armature 86 and theimpression of negative polarity on bus bars 6 and 7 and positive batteryon bus bars 3 and 4. lVhenever, during any cycle of operation of thedistributors the transmitter which is idle becomes operative again andone of the feelers engages the marking bus bar, the energizing circuitfor the Wheatstone polar relay 87 is completed and the start impulse isimpressed upon the signaling line L. Thereafter operations continue ashereinbefore described.

Let it be assumed now that the transmitter 2 is to be disassociated fromthe signaling line and the transmitter 1 is to be associated with saidline. A predetermined code on the tape in transmitter 2 will energizethe relays 56 to 61 in such a combination that the armature of relay 56is operatedvto engage its left hand contact and the armatures of relays57 to 61 are operated to engage their right hand contacts.

When now, the brush 103 wipes over segment 6 of local distributor No. 1,positive oattery is extended over conductor 106 and over the firstarmature 62 and its left handy contact and the other armatures 62 andtheir Y right hand contacts in series, over conductor 45, through thewinding of the stepping magnet 43 and conductor ll4-to ground. rl`hestepping magnet 43 becomes energized and operates its armature 41 to setthe pawl 40 forward one tooth ou the ratchet wheel 38.

W hen the brush 103 moves oil' segment 6, magnet 43 is deenergized andthe spring 42 operates the pawl L10 to step the switching mechanism onestep. Brushes 36 are thus moved to the next succeeding segment, thusdisass'ociating the transmitter 2 from vthe signaling linel andassociating the transmitter 1 with the signaling line. Code combinationsof impulses, prepared by the operator associated with transmitter 1,will thereafter be transmitted until the code setting is such as toagain'complete an energizing circuit for the stepping magnet 43whereupon the switching operation again occurs to disconnect thetransmitter in operation and connect another transmitter.

The invention has been described in connection With the well knownrotating distributor provided with a simplex circuit for operation ofhigh speed tickers which employ an eight-unit code consisting of a startimpulse, six select-ion pulses and a rest pulse. It will be clear tothose skilled in the art, that the invention may be applied to anysystem which uses rotating distributor devices.

Although only two transmitters have been shown for purpose ofillustration, it will be obviousthat any number of transmitters may beapplied to this system. Moreover, although the invention has beenillustrated in connection with simplex printers employing start and restimpulses, the invention is equally applicable when the receivingtelegraph printer is not ot' this type and does not employ start andrest impulses. In that case no provision has to be made for transmittinga long pulse of marking polarity to maintain the printer idle, but onthe contrary, it will only be necessary to transmit the selectionimpulses which may be tive orsix in number.

It is obvious that numerous changesA may be made in the details setforth without departure from the essentials of the invention as definedin the claims. Thus, in place of relays 56 to 61, I may take advantageof the tape lever arm which is operated in accordance with the slackofthe tape for controlling the switching operation whenever the tapebecomes almost taut. I may, if desired, also `utilize a separate impulsetransmitted invariably vafter a predetermined number of lVhat I claimis: 1. In a communication system, apluxality of transmitting units, adistributor and means :code combinations have been sent, for operat- Iing the switching mechanism. i

operating within a character cycle period for switching said distributorautomatically from one to the other of said transmitting units.

2. In a communication system, comprising a distributing means and aplurality of transmitting means, the method of operation which comprisesswitching the distributing means from one of said transmitting means toanother in accordance with a predetermined code combination transmittedby the operating transmitting means, setting up a code combination uponthe selected transmitter while it is inert, momentarily applying apotential source to said transmitter and simultaneously storingpotentials poled in accordance with said code combination, andtransmitting through said distributing means impulses corresponding tosaid stored potentia s.

3. In a communication system,a plurality of transmitters, a distributor,means Whereby said transmitters when in operation transmit codecombinations of impulse conditions and switching means controlled by apredetermined one of said code combinations of a transmitter inoperation for disconnectin said transmitter from said distributor anconnecting another transmitter to said distributor.

4. In combination, a distributing means, a plurality of codetransmitting means, and a switching means responsive to codecombinations of impulses transmitted by one of said transmitting meansfor switching said distributor from one transmitting X means to another.#s

5. In combination, a distributin means, a plurality of transmittingmeans, an switching means ,responsive to code combinations of impulsestransmitted through said distributing means for automatically switchingsaid distributing means from one of said transmitting means to another.

6. In a communication system, a continuously rotating distributor, atransmitter connected therbto, means for setting up a code combinationupon the transmitter while it is inert, storing means connected to saidtransmitter, means for momentarily applying a potential source to saidtransmitter, and

simultaneously storing potentials poled in acv cordance with said codecombination in said storing means, and means for transmitting throughsaid distributor impulses corresponding to said stored potentials.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ROBERT F. DIRKES.

